Mail-delivery system.



K.'J. ,EKEDAHL.

MAIL DELIVERY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION TILED MAILIB, 1914.

1, 1 20,293. Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHEET l.

THE NORRIS PETERS C0 PHOTOVLIIHO WASHINGTON D C K. J. EKEDAHL.

MAIL DELIVERY SYSTEM. APPLIdATION FILED MAR. 18, 1914.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

LSHEETik-SHEET 2.

HE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTO LITHOH WASNINGYON. D, C

K. J. EKEDAHL. MAIL DELIVERY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MABIB, 1914.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

4 SHEETQ-EHEBT 3.

K. J. EKEDAHL.

MAIL DELIVERY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 1914.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W/ /vfssfs THE NORRIS PETERS CD PNOTO-LITIIO., WASHINGTON, D C.

KARL JOHANSEN EKEDAHL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-DELIVERY SYSTEM.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Application filed March 18, 1914. Serial N 0. 825,541.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL J OI-IANSEN EKE- nAnL, a citizen of Norway, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of lllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Delivery Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in rural mail delivery systems and its object is to provide a delivery line running from the post office to the end of the rural route and over this line a mail delivery car is propelled by electricity and said car is provided with a mail compartment for each resident on the rural route, each compartment' being provided with an individual lock and with an individual mail signal.

Means are provided upon the line for automatically stopping the car at each house along the route, during which time the electric power is shut off, and for sounding an alarm for a given period of time to attract the attention'of the resident and at the expiration of such time for automatically starting the car again upon its way should the resident for any reason fail to heed the alarm. Means for cutting out the stop device, should the resident absent himself for any considerable period of time, are also provided.

The prime object of the invention is t provide a system to take the place of the present rural mail delivery effected by carriers employed for that purpose.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter fully described in the following specification, pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings whirlv form a part of said specification and i which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of my improved rural mail delivery system showing a portion of the line or track and the mail delivery car in the delivery plat-- form which is associated with said line. Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1 with the delivery platform and mail car in an altered position. Fig. 4 is a view of. the means employed for operating the platform. Fig. 5 is a section through one end of the mail car. showing the car-propelling mech anism. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 w th the propelling mechanism shut off. Fig. 7 is a. cross section through the mail car showing the trip rod or plunger. Fig. 8 IS a side view of the mail car, partly broken, to show the individual mail compartments. Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a perspective of a portion of the delivery platform and a portion of the stationary framework. Fig. 11 is a section taken on line 11--11 of Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a view of the permanent line or track at its unction with the delivery platform. Fig. 13 is a view of a portion of the main supporting post for the delivery platform and the guide secured to that post. Fig. 14: is a new of one end of the track carried by the delivery platform adapted for alinement with the permanent line or track. Fig. 15 is a section taken on line Iii-15 of Fig. 14. Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the tripping mechanism about to be engaged by the mail car by which said car is automatically stopped. Fig. 17 is a similar view showing the position of the tripping mechanism after engagement with the mail car. Fig. 18 is a view of the tripper frame. Fig. 19 is a view of the air-controlled cylinder operatively associated with the tripping mechanism.

Like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

To reduce the cost of installing my mail delivery system I propose to string the wires or steel cables 1, 1, that comprise its track, upon the telegraph poles 2 that now traverse the rural routes generally throughout the country. 3, 3 are the ordinary telegraph wires nowcarried by said poles. My track is carried upon angular supports l secured to the telegraph poles and comprises an upper and a lower cable. Each rural route will be fed by one complete line of track, composed of one upper and one lower cable. and traversed by one mail car 5 which is provided with upper and lower traction wheels, 6, 6 and 7 7, respectively.

Each resident along the rural delivery route will have a delivery platform associated with the system delivery track and the said platform will comprise a framework which comprises a main support or standard 7 which extends from the ground above the main track and carries a longitudinal beam 8 to which a plurality of angular pulleybrackets 9 are secured that carry pulleys 10 disposed at an oblique angle to the beam 8 and over said pulleys cables 11, 11 run, and each of said cables at one end is attached to one of the vertically movable angular rods 12, 12 which form part of the delivery platform and which rods are connected by brace rods 13 and which rods are further connected by upper and lower track connections 14, 14, respectively, through the medium of angular rod-extensions hereinafter to be described, which connections move with the rods 12, 12 and each of which connections is formed with terminal frogs 15 adapted to register with frogs 16 carried by the track 1, 1. further, are provided with links 17 that carry wheels 18 having grooved peripheries adapted to run upon vertical guides 19, 19 secured to auxiliary standards 20, 20 extending from the ground to the lower cable 1 of the track 1, 1. The ends of the cables 11, 11 remote from the rods 12 extend through tubular guides 21, 21 secured as at 22 to the standard 7 and are wound upon a pulley or spool 23 rotated by a handle 24 and provided with a pawl and ratchet locking device 25 and secured to the standard 7 inside a box or casing 26 which is provided with lock and key by which local resident locks and unlocks the same at will. It is readily seen that unwinding the cable 11 from the pulley 23 will permit the delivery platform to de scend through gravity, the wheels 18 traveling over the guides 19 and bar guide 1.9 passing between a plurality of double guides 27 insuring a vertical descent of said platform. Each of the angular rods 12, 12 is formed with a right angular extension 28 before mentioned disposed in the plane of an intermediate bend 12 in that rod and the rod portions 28 and 12 are each provided with a crotch 29 disposed one above the other to retain one end of each of the guide bars 30, said guide bars extending through bearings 31 formed integral with angular fixed rods 32 of a shape similar to the rods 12, 12 and disposed adjacent those rods and secured to the auxiliary standards 20 to carry the ends of the track or line 1, 1 contiguous to the platform track connections 14, 14; each fixed rod 32 is, of course, formed with an angular extension 33 similar to extension 28 of rods 12 and said extensions 33 have bearings 31 for the guide bars 30. To the extensions 33 uprights 34 are secured which carry storm protectors 35 which extend lengthwise of theplatform and aredesigned to protect the movable parts of the same from the inclemency of the weather.

Referring now to the mail car 5 the same is provided with a central longitudinal partition 36 and upon each side of the same a plurality of metallic mail lockers 37 are The rods 12, 12,

arranged each provided with a. door 38 which normally is protected by a hinged storm door 39 and each door is fitted with lock and keys, one key to each lock being kept by the post oflice and one by the user of the compartment. Each compartment is formed with a curved slot 40 in its end, the compartments or lockers being spaced away from each other, and a ball or other signal 41 disposed in this slotted portion is movable from side to side of the same. lhe ball being at one end of the slot may indicate that the box is empty; at the other side that there are contents within the same or that there is a parcel at the station too large for delivery. Below a transverse partition 42 upon which the partition 36 is disposed the storage batteries, by which the car is operated, are disposed upon the car floor or base 43 and a door 44 permits access to said batteries.

In one end of the car signaling and control mechanism is disposed and access to the same is to be had through a door 45. Within the compartment closed off by door 45 is'a motor 46 which is wired to terminal 47 which connects with storage batteries (not shown) and with a fixed contact block 47, disposed upon a support 48 carried by the car, and wired to a movable contact block 49 carried by a trip plunger 50 which extends through apertures 51, formed, respectively, in the partition 42 and the roof of the car and which is projected up beyond the car roof. The lower end of said plunger is formed integral with a block 53 formed with a lug 53 slidably disposed within a guide 54partially encompassing a spring 55 secured to the floor 43 of the car and said plunger passes between a plurality of guides 56 and is formed with an elongated slot 57 through which a pin 58 rides carried by one of the guides 56 and said plunger, moreover, is connected by a pin 59 to the slotted end of a trip lever 60 fulcrumed upon a standard 61 within the car and said lever is projected out through an elongated aperture 62 in the side of the car and upon its free termination is provided with a cover plate 63.

T0 the contact block 47 a spring 64 is secured to which spring a cord 65 (passing through said contact block) is secured that passes over pulleys 66, 66 and that carries a weight 67 at its opposite end which operates through an aperture in the partition 42 and said weight is adapted for frictional locking engagement with a timing mechanism 68 disposed. within the car and by means of which weight said mechanism may be locked in adjusted position. 69 is-a crank carried by said timing mechanism and which 7 angular casting 73 secured to the floor of the car and said lever is further provided with a lug 7 4; adapted for releasable engage ment with the lug 53 which lug is beveled in a manner to permit it to freely pass, the lug 74 when moving in a direction toward the floor of the car but adapted to engage said lug when moving in the opposite direction.

To the track 1, 1 in advance of each delivery platform a steel wire frame 75 is secured which serves to keep the track true and to which a trip 76 is hinged which, as the mail car passes, is adapted to contact with the trip plunger 50 and depress the same throwing it into the position illustrated best in Fig. 6. This will cause the lever with its block 53 to compress the spring 55, to lock the lugs 53 and 74 in engagement with each other, to throw the trip lever 60 into approximately a horizontal position, to break the circuitto the storage battery and to complete the circuit over wires 7 6 connected with dry cells 76 and with the alarm bell 77 secured to the end of the car and wire-connectedto the batteries. fiince the contact block 49 has broken the connection with the storage battery the spring 64 expands and causes the cable 65 to raise the weight 67 releasing the timing mechanism which will permit the alarm 77 to ring or sound until said timing mechanism has traveled to the position illustrated in Fig. 5 or into the position by which it is automatically stopped by its connection with the lever the lever 70 now having released the lug 53 the same will be forced back to normal position bv the spring 55 thus again raising the trip plunger to normal position and again completing the circuit to the storage battery setting the traction wheels 6, 6 and 7, 7 in motion which propel the car again on its way. l/Vhile the timing mechanism is operating the resident should heed the alarm and lower the delivery platform in the manner previously described and open his mail compartment in the car, take out his mail, raise the platform and car again and permit the same to be on its way.

Should resident get his mail before the timing mechanism has completed its run he may set the car in motion without waiting for the expiration of the time allowed to said timing mechanism by grasping a hand lever 78 which is pivoted on the lower guide bar 30 and which is formed with a curved upper termination ending in a shoe 79 and manipulating said bar in such a manner that the said shoe 79 will contact with the cover plate 63 of lever 60 as the mail car is raised to position again. This contact de scribed will tilt the lever 60 into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 7 raising the trip plunger to normal position and setting the ing platform.

car in motion by closing the circuit to the storage battery in a manner previously described.

Should the car be traveling at such a speed when the trip 76 encounters and depresses the trip plunger 50 as to cause said car to run otherwise, of its own momentum, beyond the lowering platform it will, through the medium of depending hinged loop 80, provided with an angular stop 81, engage trigger 82 which is pivoted at 8-) and spring-connected at 84 to a pitman 85 which is connected to a piston rod 86 working in a compressed air cylinder 87 which is secured by a flexible connection 88 to one of the angular rods 12 of the. lowering platform; and the aforesaid trigger 82 is connected to a segment 89 which is connected by a cord 90 to an eye 91 carried by cylinder 87. Contact of loop 80 and said trigger, when the car is approaching a delivery platform will force the angular stop 81 into engagement with the bottom of the mail car and move the trigger 82 on its pivot 83 into approximately the position shown in Fig. 17, a resistance being offered during this movement by the piston rod 86 working in the said air cylinder which taken in con-- nection with the resistance offered by the piston and its pitman will be suilicient to stop the car 5 at some point upon the lower Should the resident contemplate absence from his premises for a considerable period of time he will, before leaving, raise the stop 76, through the medium of a flexible connection 92 passing over pulleys 93 and down the supporting pole 2 to a hand rod 9 f so that said stop will not engage the'trip lever 50 of the car as it passes through frame and he will also manually move trigger 82 to inoperative position. \Vhen the car arrives at the end of the line the last resident reverses the motor and permits it to start back to the post oflice. Moving in a direction toward the post oflice it will pass the steps 76 and trigger 82 without engaging them.

lVh-at is claimed is 1. Tn a mail delivery system, a line comprising a plurality of track sections spaced apart, delivery platforms operatively associated with said track sections and adapted, when in normal. position, to connect the same to complete the line, manually operable means for raising and lowering said platforms, a frame carried by each track section in advance of each platform, an electrically propelled car adapted to travel over said track sections and platforms and current breaking means carried by said frame for contact with said car as it passes in one direction to cause it to stop upon said delivery platform.

2. In a mail delivery system, a line comprising a plurality of track sections spaced apart, delivery platforms operatively associated with saidtrack sections and adapted, when in normal position, to connect the same to complete the line, manually operable means for raising and lowering said platforms, a frame carried by each track section in advance of each platform, an elec trically propelled car adapted to travel over said track sections and delivery platforms current breaking means for said car associated with said frame and flexible means carried by said platform for engagement With said car whereby the movement of same in one direction, due to its momentum after contact with said current breaking means, may be arrested.

3. A mail delivery system comprising a track, an electrically propelled car operative thereover, an electrically operated sounding alarm carried by said car, a circuit closer normally associated with the propelling means and capable of association With the sounding means, a trip device carried by said track for engagement With said circuit closer for disturbing the normal position of the same thereby operating the sounding alarm and a timing device disposed Within said car and associated with said circuit closer for returning the same to normal position, after disturbance of the same, Within a fixed period of time. q

4. A mail delivery system comprising a track, an electrically propelled car operative thereover, an electrically operated sounding alarm carried by said car, a circuit closer normally associated With the propelling means and capable of association With the sounding means, a trip device carried by said track for engagement With the said circuit closer for disturbing the normal position of the same thereby operating the sounding alarm, a timing device disposed Within the said car and associated With said circuit closer for returning the same to norinal position,after disturbance of the same, Within a fixed period of time and manually operable means for returning said circuit closer to normal position in advance of the movement ofsaid timing device.

In testimony that 1 claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afliXed my signature in the presence of two subscribing wit nesses.

KARL JoHANsEN EKEDAHL:

Witnesses:

PAUL A. Human, A. S. S. NICKELSEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing" the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

